Having a successful career in graphic design can be lucrative and enjoyable if you put in the prerequisite hard work through college. When you complete your accredited degree program in Mississippi, you’ll have a highly technical skillset of immense value across various industries. Your job will involve conveying ideas using visual art with the help of technology, no matter where you work as a graphic designer.
To choose the right graphic design degree program, consider your specific interests in art and design subjects. While curricula can vary by college or art department, it’s helpful to study the fundamentals, including art history, color theory, and research. Although graphic design is your area of focus, complementary courses like computer animation, web design, and interactive media can reinforce your academic and professional credentials. Also, look for overall and program-specific accreditations relevant to your studies.
Here’s a detailed look at some accredited graphic design degree programs in the state:
Jackson State University (JSU) has a robust Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Graphic Design program. Available at the JSU Department of Art, the four-year course is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). It offers a relatively balanced proportion of experiential learning, theory classes, and design/art studio time. Regardless of your preferred study area, you need to complete the College Preparatory Curriculum (CPC) to be fully admitted into the Jackson-based public university as a freshman.
The high school CPC requirements for admission:
To be considered for admission into JSU, you should submit your application online and request that your high school send your official transcript to the university.
The JSU BA in Graphic Design is an excellent choice for those looking to become graphic designers with web design skills. Throughout the 120-credit-hour program, you’ll study fundamentals like art history, drawing, and visual thinking. The MAC Lab in Johnson Hall is the arena for immersive studio sessions in graphic, web sound design and more. Internships and experiential work with advertising agencies should help with your portfolio development ahead of graduation.
For Mississippi residents, part-time tuition at JSU costs $345 per credit hour (for 11 credits or fewer). Full-time students (12-19 credit hours) pay a fixed amount of $4135 per semester. These fees don’t include miscellaneous expenses (charges) like transport and technology. Meal plan and accommodation costs vary, with some students paying up to $2,872 for single-occupancy packages and $1,979 for meals.
For an opportunity to specialize in graphic design, consider the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree (BFA) at the University of Mississippi or Ole Miss. Students at the Oxford-based institution leverage multiple experiential learning resources that boost their future career prospects. An example of this is the Office of Outreach, which helps art students secure internships within and outside of Mississippi. The university’s museum is another avenue for student graphic designers to build their professional competencies as interns or volunteers before attaining their BFA.
If you attended high school in Mississippi, you must complete the College Preparatory Curriculum (CPC) to be considered for admission into Ole Miss. The minimum GPA requirements for the CPC high school courses are:
As with most NASAD-accredited BFA programs, you need more than your high school credentials to join the professional graphic design degree course at Ole Miss. You have to complete 18 hours of studio art to be admitted (a grade C or above in art and art history courses is required to graduate with a BFA). Also, prepare to submit an artwork portfolio and give a 10-minute presentation via Zoom in your BFA admission interview. There’ll be more of those reviews each semester before your thesis.
The four-year curriculum has the necessary ingredients to create a competent graphic and web designer out of you. Out of the minimum 120 credit hours you should complete to graduate, 40 are from 300-level courses (or above), such as drawing, graphic design and advanced studio. Some of the core art courses in which you must get at least a “C” are 2D and 3D design and color theory.
As a full-time resident, attending undergraduate classes at the University of Mississippi may cost you about $8,934 in tuition fees per year. Each complete semester is at least 12 credit hours, and when you include meals, you’ll pay about $4,628. The campus offers several housing options with varying rates, including Crosby, Burns and Pittman halls. Living there for two semesters may cost you approximately $6,514. The total cost for residents (including meals and housing) is roughly $26,946.00 per academic year.
This amount includes other student expenses, such as:
Mississippi has approximately 1,101,720 people employed in various industries, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). About 710 of these workers are graphic designers earning hourly and yearly wages of $19.98 and $41,560, respectively. Based on Payscale.com estimates, here are average graphic designer salaries in select cities across the state:
Once you get your graphic design degree in Mississippi, you can find work with a generous compensation package in fields such as:
Other companies you can work for as a graphic designer include:
Despite these and many other graphic-design employment opportunities, the sector isn’t creating new jobs as fast as other industries nationwide. The BLS highlighted the slower-than-average growth rate of 3% in its 2020-30 career projections for graphic designers. A career in visual communication design is still worth the time, education, and financial investment. The job scene is gradually improving everywhere with post-pandemic recovery, including in Mississippi, where graphic designer salaries increase by 4.3% on average annually.